


Ultramarine

by PerseusHuntress



Category: Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-03
Updated: 2018-12-03
Packaged: 2019-09-06 13:16:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 713
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16833367
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PerseusHuntress/pseuds/PerseusHuntress





	Ultramarine

“Turian’s don’t like the cold Shepard… have I mentioned that before?” Garrus grumbled shifting from one foot to the other.

She rolled her eyes in response and turned to Tali instead “You ready?”

“I think so?” the girl answered nervously.

“You’ll do good, I have every faith” she smiled reassuringly. The quarian was undoubtedly new to military operations but she was scrappy. Even in the short time that Shepard had to observe her on the Citadel, Tali proved to be a formidable ally, disposing of the mercs with ease. Lacking in confidence, but Shepard would work on that one.

“Why does the little one get a pep talk and not me?!” Garrus’ subharmonics reverberated with indignation.

Shepard snorted “I am not in the business of ego inflation big guy”

He shrank back frowning.

“Now come on, we need to find a way out of this frozen hell hole” Shepard shivered. The under suits were designed to withstand harsh weather, but it seems even the most advanced technology was defeated but the frozen wasteland of Noveria. The team followed without a word, but Tali trailed behind, dragging her feet whilst Garrus dramatically blew on his gloved fingers, clattering his teeth loudly and sighing theatrically.

“Little shit” she muttered under her breath setting off into the blizzard.

“Suit up, Peak 15 awaits.” Shepard called out.

“Liara we need you with us” she glanced apologetically in the asari’s direction. Shepard knew full well that there may come a time in the next few hours where decisive violence may be unavoidable, but she figured it had a better chance of being avoided altogether if Liara could only talk Benezia down. Still her conscience gnarled in the pit of her stomach.

“I am ready Commander” the asari’s voice warbled slightly.

“Good, thank you” Shepard put as much sureness into her voice as she could muster.

“Vakarian, you planning to move sometimes this century?” she snapped, raising an eyebrow when the turian didn’t stir.

“Again?” his eyes doubled in size “I nearly froze my fringe off, and that was indoors Shepard. And now you want me to traipse through a snow storm?”

“What is a little loss of limb between friends?” she shrugged smirking.

“I… Shepard…” Garrus could only babble in response.

She smiled “Not to worry, I am prepared for your melodramatics this time”

Shepard turned away from the stunned turian and extracted a thick ultramarine scarf from her locker.

“Try this” she advanced on Garrus brandishing the scarf at him like a rapier.

He just blinked at her stupidly.

“Come here” she finally reached him, gesturing for him to bend over. Garrus obliged automatically. 

Even stooped down, she still had to get onto tip toes to throw the loop of the scarf over his head. The heavy knit tangled on his crest. She reached out her arm further to try and dislodge the material, her balance shifted and she realised with detached horror that she was falling forward. Garrus reacted with lightning reflexes, catching her by the waist and steadying her. Shepard could feel her eyes widening and a blush creeping up her face, she acutely felt every one of his fingers on her waist, his face was inches away from hers as he stared, his surprise mirroring hers.

He stood frozen holding her, too numb to disengage and Shepard reasoned that trying to break away now would make this situation even more awkward so she did her best to ignore the electricity radiating from their contact and continued to wind the scarf around his neck, despite her racing breath, and sudden inability to form full sentences.

“There you go” she awkwardly patted the finished knot with her hand.

“Thanks…” his voice came out muffled by the layers of material she wound almost up to to his eyes.

“You can let go of me now…” she breathed.

“Oh, sorry” he jumped back as if burnt, looking away from her in embarrassment.

“Ahem” Shepard coughed, turning away too, mechanically running her hands down her waist, trailing the path of his fingers. 

She caught sighed of an astonished Liara, mouth gently agape, still frozen with one hand outstretched clearly attempting to arrest Shepard’s fall seconds previously.

Shepard squeezed her eyes shut shaking her head in dismay “Let’s just go…”


End file.
